A Kentucky bill that would allow
companies to deny services based on the religious objections of their
owners cleared a Senate committee on Thursday.

The Senate Committee on Veterans,
Military Affairs and Public Protections approved Senate Bill 180 with
an overwhelming 8-1 vote. The proposal now heads to the
Republican-led Senate, the Lexington
Herald-Leaderreported.

The bill seeks to amend Kentucky's
Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to apply to businesses that
serve the public. The sale of goods and services would be put under
the “protected activities” clause.

The bill's sponsor, Senator Albert
Robinson, a Republican from London, said that his bill is aimed at
protecting the rights of business owners who oppose the Supreme
Court's finding that gay couples have a constitutional right to
marry.

“All of these business owners want to
treat everyone with full human dignity and respect,” Robinson told
the committee. “But their consciences and religious beliefs
prevent them from using their skills to promote a celebration that
runs counter to what the Bible teaches about marriage. Shouldn't
their rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion be
respected?”

He said that he was responding to the
case of a Christian business that was ordered to get diversity
training after its owner refused to print t-shirts for a Gay Pride
festival. A state judge overturned the order. The case is on
appeal.

“There is an agenda at work here that
seeks to force people with sincerely held religious convictions to
either abandon these beliefs or violate them or face state action
that could close their businesses and destroy them financially,”
Robinson said.

If approved, the bill would affect LGBT
protections in eight Kentucky cities.

Chris Hartman, director of the Fairness
Campaign, a group that advocates for LGBT rights, called SB 180 a
“clear attack” on those eight cities.